Commonscape
By: Griffin
Copyright notice: All characters belong to their respective owners, all
original characters and plot elements belong to me.
Note: Most of the Andromeda crew is current as far as about 2 months ago. Farscape crew is quite a bit older.
Summary: The battle for Jeris rages on in...Alliance makes some startling discoveries on Yevin Three.
Crashing Waves. (Part 2)
Captain Tem'Viras of the Scorvian destroyer Judgment of the Damned, watched carefully as his ship closed with the Scarren formation.
Fleet Command had informed the leading Coalition escort ships that the Scarren's forward ships had been crippled, and some even destroyed, by the fighter squadrons they had deployed.
He had doubted seriously that the ships could be too badly damaged until his Tactical officer had relayed the image of a light cruiser buckling under the explosion of its primary reactor, thanks to a well placed bomb.
Other Scarren ships were leaking atmosphere and trailing debris.
For the most part the bombers had targeted primary plasma cannons and the command decks of their targets, leaving many of the Scarren escorts blind or partially unarmed.
* * * * * *
Sub-Officer Iris Penal growled as she climbed out of her damaged Prowler deep in the bowels of the Vanguard of Victory as the flagship cruised into battle.
The ship would be salvageable, if the Command Cruiser survived the battle, but for now she was grounded.
"Sub-Officer Iris Penal, Tera Squadron; requesting a new fighter ship," she told the boat-bay Officer-In-Charge.
"Sorry, Sub-Officer, but all of our ships are deployed. Perhaps you could be reassigned to shipboard duty?"
Iris growled slightly as she shook her head. She hated shipboard duty. It was always so boring.
"All right," she said reluctantly. "Where do they need me?"
"Forward pulse cannons need a good gunner," the Officer said as he tapped out an order on his console. "Ango-Eleven, deck Twelve."
Iris nodded and saluted as she hurried for the lifts forward.
At least she had gunnery duty, a chance to tear apart enemy fighters with the quad-barrel pulse turrets.
* * * * * *
Admiral Rishu growled as he watched several of his escort ships explode. The Coalition's bombing runs had crippled several of his light warships but had left many of them untouched.
He smiled slightly as the two formations of light warships closed to weapons range and the Scarren Plasma Cannons opened fire.
Bolts of light streaked out from the main guns of the Scarren frigates, destroyers and cruisers, heading for the Coalition ships.
Rishu grinned in satisfaction as many of those plasma bolts slammed into the armored hides of the enemy ships.
Explosion marked ship after ship as debris and atmosphere trailed from the damaged ship.
Another wave of plasma rounds erupted and their nearly light-speed velocity carried them over the distance quickly, another wave of explosions marking the formations.
Several of the Coalition frigates exploded majestically, their power plants pierced by plasma shells. Several more went silent as their power plants went into emergency shutdown.
But the Coalition was silent no longer. Their frag cannons belched explosive rounds as their energy mounts spitting lasers into the Scarren ships.
Light-speed energy cut deep gashes into the Scarren armor, some piercing plasma magazines and causing explosions that rocked the targeted ship.
Explosive frag rounds swept in on the heels of the lasers. Some found their way into the gashes left by the lasers. The rounds burrowed into armor and then exploded, tearing gaping holes in the frigates and destroyers.
"Order all escorts to go to full fire. Tear those ships to pieces."
* * * * * *
Admiral Uri Polits watched as the Scarren guns went to full fire. Round after round erupted from their main cannons as they turned their broadsides to face the Coalition light warships.
Any ships that had defense screens activated quickly lost those under the stress of the bombardment.
Ships not equipped with the defense screens bucked as plasma rounds slammed into their armor and exploded.
Frigates and destroyers exploded as they were overwhelmed by the fire. Cruisers heaved as their larger frames were assaulted. Several lost one of their two power plants as they went into emergency shutdown. Several lost all power and drifted lifelessly.
"I want all cannons firing at full cycle!" Uri shouted. "Get the battle cruisers in there!"
The escort ships began firing their frag cannons at full cycle. It took ten microts to reload a frag cannon aboard one of the smaller ships. The energy mounts needed only four microts to reset their circuits and erupt once more.
The exchange became intense as the two formations closed. Scarren ship buckled as frag shells slammed through their armor and exploded. Coalition ships shivered with damage as Plasma rounds crashed through them and left them lifeless.
As the two formations closed their point defense cannons began tracking each other and energy rounds flashed between the ships.
The ships began passing by each other, some as close as a few metres, and as they did they released full broadsides into their enemies.
Coalition and Scarren ships alike buckled and cracked under the fire from their enemies. Several times Scarren plasma rounds didn't even have time to activate and just lodged into their targets, waiting for something to bump them into detonation. Other times, Coalition energy mounts punched holes through their target and into ships on the other side, cutting into the armor of that ship as well.
But the Scarrens were larger, and tougher. They had the advantage and were taking it ruthlessly. * * * * * *
Admiral Rishu grinned as his light warships left the Coalition forces damaged and bleeding and began their attack on the Coalition capitol ships.
The Hynerian battle cruisers were the main targets, but Rishu knew that the Coalition would be ready for that.
And sure enough, as the Scarren ships began making their runs on the Hynerian capitol ships, the feared Attika mounts opened fire.
Weapons that would gut a dreadnaught were focused on frigates and destroyers and light cruisers. The energy beams engulfed their targets and vaporized whole ships without a second thought.
And the Hynerians weren't alone. The other Coalition capitol ships were firing too, their enormous frag cannons dealing solid death to Scarren ships, huge energy batteries cutting escort ships into so much debris.
Rishu swore as he watched his light warships fall under the withering fire of the Coalition capitol ships, but at the same time he knew that not all of his ships were being destroyed.
A Scarren light cruiser managed to avoid the fire of a Hynerian battle cruiser, and as the ship ran close along the target's hull, released a devastating hail of plasma shells at close range.
Those shells buried themselves in the hull of the Hynerian behemoth and then exploded, ripping ugly wounds into the side of the ship and causing two of the three powerplants to shut down.
Another Scarren light cruiser, one of the more heavily damaged ships, took heavy fire from one of the Peacekeeper battle cruisers as it charged toward a Hynerian capitol ship.
The Scarren took the hits and kept charging, and as the hull of the light cruiser slammed viscously into the Hynerian battle cruiser, her main power plant exploded.
The two ships were engulfed in an expanding ball of fury as the fusion plant detonated. When the brilliant flash receded, nothing was left of either ship except for glowing debris from the outer edges of the battle cruiser.
The sheer number of surviving Scarren ships was nothing against the huge cannons of the Coalition capitol ships, the frigates and destroyers were treated as tiny flies annoying a beast. The cruisers were treated as little more.
But the escorts had done their jobs. They had tied up the Coalition long enough for the Scarren capitol ships to reach attack range. Some of the light ships had even crippled or destroyed their targets.
The Scarren battle cruisers, dreadnaughts and super dreadnaughts turned their undamaged broadsides against the Coalition and unleashed hell on their targets. * * * * * *
Iris Penal growled as she pulled the trigger on the quad-barrel turret. The guns unleashed a hail of pulse rounds into the fighter craft in her sights and left the Scarren Striker a dead hulk of debris.
The Vanguard of Victory had taken several hits from the Scarren light warships, but was not yet severely damaged. Some of the Scarren fighters had attempted to slam themselves into the huge frag cannons but had been cut down far short of their goals.
Iris turned her turret toward another fighter, but as she spun around she saw the huge Scarren capitol ships turning to clear their broadsides.
She realized in that moment that the battle was lost for the Coalition and slammed a key to her right. The turret retracted into the hull of the Command Cruiser and Iris threw herself from the chair toward an escape pod.
* * * * * *
The hail of plasma rounds from the Scarren fleet tore the Coalition ships to pieces.
Capitol ships bucked as their armor was assaulted and several exploded brilliantly.
Any ship that still had engine power turned to retreat from the system, but the Scarrens were close behind.
The Vanguard of Victory lost all power as the five power plants went into emergency shutdown. Life pods trailed from many of ships as their crews abandoned the dead hulks of their homes to Scarren capture.
Note: Most of the Andromeda crew is current as far as about 2 months ago. Farscape crew is quite a bit older.
Summary: The battle for Jeris rages on in...Alliance makes some startling discoveries on Yevin Three.
Crashing Waves. (Part 2)
Captain Tem'Viras of the Scorvian destroyer Judgment of the Damned, watched carefully as his ship closed with the Scarren formation.
Fleet Command had informed the leading Coalition escort ships that the Scarren's forward ships had been crippled, and some even destroyed, by the fighter squadrons they had deployed.
He had doubted seriously that the ships could be too badly damaged until his Tactical officer had relayed the image of a light cruiser buckling under the explosion of its primary reactor, thanks to a well placed bomb.
Other Scarren ships were leaking atmosphere and trailing debris.
For the most part the bombers had targeted primary plasma cannons and the command decks of their targets, leaving many of the Scarren escorts blind or partially unarmed.
* * * * * *
Sub-Officer Iris Penal growled as she climbed out of her damaged Prowler deep in the bowels of the Vanguard of Victory as the flagship cruised into battle.
The ship would be salvageable, if the Command Cruiser survived the battle, but for now she was grounded.
"Sub-Officer Iris Penal, Tera Squadron; requesting a new fighter ship," she told the boat-bay Officer-In-Charge.
"Sorry, Sub-Officer, but all of our ships are deployed. Perhaps you could be reassigned to shipboard duty?"
Iris growled slightly as she shook her head. She hated shipboard duty. It was always so boring.
"All right," she said reluctantly. "Where do they need me?"
"Forward pulse cannons need a good gunner," the Officer said as he tapped out an order on his console. "Ango-Eleven, deck Twelve."
Iris nodded and saluted as she hurried for the lifts forward.
At least she had gunnery duty, a chance to tear apart enemy fighters with the quad-barrel pulse turrets.
* * * * * *
Admiral Rishu growled as he watched several of his escort ships explode. The Coalition's bombing runs had crippled several of his light warships but had left many of them untouched.
He smiled slightly as the two formations of light warships closed to weapons range and the Scarren Plasma Cannons opened fire.
Bolts of light streaked out from the main guns of the Scarren frigates, destroyers and cruisers, heading for the Coalition ships.
Rishu grinned in satisfaction as many of those plasma bolts slammed into the armored hides of the enemy ships.
Explosion marked ship after ship as debris and atmosphere trailed from the damaged ship.
Another wave of plasma rounds erupted and their nearly light-speed velocity carried them over the distance quickly, another wave of explosions marking the formations.
Several of the Coalition frigates exploded majestically, their power plants pierced by plasma shells. Several more went silent as their power plants went into emergency shutdown.
But the Coalition was silent no longer. Their frag cannons belched explosive rounds as their energy mounts spitting lasers into the Scarren ships.
Light-speed energy cut deep gashes into the Scarren armor, some piercing plasma magazines and causing explosions that rocked the targeted ship.
Explosive frag rounds swept in on the heels of the lasers. Some found their way into the gashes left by the lasers. The rounds burrowed into armor and then exploded, tearing gaping holes in the frigates and destroyers.
"Order all escorts to go to full fire. Tear those ships to pieces."
* * * * * *
Admiral Uri Polits watched as the Scarren guns went to full fire. Round after round erupted from their main cannons as they turned their broadsides to face the Coalition light warships.
Any ships that had defense screens activated quickly lost those under the stress of the bombardment.
Ships not equipped with the defense screens bucked as plasma rounds slammed into their armor and exploded.
Frigates and destroyers exploded as they were overwhelmed by the fire. Cruisers heaved as their larger frames were assaulted. Several lost one of their two power plants as they went into emergency shutdown. Several lost all power and drifted lifelessly.
"I want all cannons firing at full cycle!" Uri shouted. "Get the battle cruisers in there!"
The escort ships began firing their frag cannons at full cycle. It took ten microts to reload a frag cannon aboard one of the smaller ships. The energy mounts needed only four microts to reset their circuits and erupt once more.
The exchange became intense as the two formations closed. Scarren ship buckled as frag shells slammed through their armor and exploded. Coalition ships shivered with damage as Plasma rounds crashed through them and left them lifeless.
As the two formations closed their point defense cannons began tracking each other and energy rounds flashed between the ships.
The ships began passing by each other, some as close as a few metres, and as they did they released full broadsides into their enemies.
Coalition and Scarren ships alike buckled and cracked under the fire from their enemies. Several times Scarren plasma rounds didn't even have time to activate and just lodged into their targets, waiting for something to bump them into detonation. Other times, Coalition energy mounts punched holes through their target and into ships on the other side, cutting into the armor of that ship as well.
But the Scarrens were larger, and tougher. They had the advantage and were taking it ruthlessly. * * * * * *
Admiral Rishu grinned as his light warships left the Coalition forces damaged and bleeding and began their attack on the Coalition capitol ships.
The Hynerian battle cruisers were the main targets, but Rishu knew that the Coalition would be ready for that.
And sure enough, as the Scarren ships began making their runs on the Hynerian capitol ships, the feared Attika mounts opened fire.
Weapons that would gut a dreadnaught were focused on frigates and destroyers and light cruisers. The energy beams engulfed their targets and vaporized whole ships without a second thought.
And the Hynerians weren't alone. The other Coalition capitol ships were firing too, their enormous frag cannons dealing solid death to Scarren ships, huge energy batteries cutting escort ships into so much debris.
Rishu swore as he watched his light warships fall under the withering fire of the Coalition capitol ships, but at the same time he knew that not all of his ships were being destroyed.
A Scarren light cruiser managed to avoid the fire of a Hynerian battle cruiser, and as the ship ran close along the target's hull, released a devastating hail of plasma shells at close range.
Those shells buried themselves in the hull of the Hynerian behemoth and then exploded, ripping ugly wounds into the side of the ship and causing two of the three powerplants to shut down.
Another Scarren light cruiser, one of the more heavily damaged ships, took heavy fire from one of the Peacekeeper battle cruisers as it charged toward a Hynerian capitol ship.
The Scarren took the hits and kept charging, and as the hull of the light cruiser slammed viscously into the Hynerian battle cruiser, her main power plant exploded.
The two ships were engulfed in an expanding ball of fury as the fusion plant detonated. When the brilliant flash receded, nothing was left of either ship except for glowing debris from the outer edges of the battle cruiser.
The sheer number of surviving Scarren ships was nothing against the huge cannons of the Coalition capitol ships, the frigates and destroyers were treated as tiny flies annoying a beast. The cruisers were treated as little more.
But the escorts had done their jobs. They had tied up the Coalition long enough for the Scarren capitol ships to reach attack range. Some of the light ships had even crippled or destroyed their targets.
The Scarren battle cruisers, dreadnaughts and super dreadnaughts turned their undamaged broadsides against the Coalition and unleashed hell on their targets. * * * * * *
Iris Penal growled as she pulled the trigger on the quad-barrel turret. The guns unleashed a hail of pulse rounds into the fighter craft in her sights and left the Scarren Striker a dead hulk of debris.
The Vanguard of Victory had taken several hits from the Scarren light warships, but was not yet severely damaged. Some of the Scarren fighters had attempted to slam themselves into the huge frag cannons but had been cut down far short of their goals.
Iris turned her turret toward another fighter, but as she spun around she saw the huge Scarren capitol ships turning to clear their broadsides.
She realized in that moment that the battle was lost for the Coalition and slammed a key to her right. The turret retracted into the hull of the Command Cruiser and Iris threw herself from the chair toward an escape pod.
* * * * * *
The hail of plasma rounds from the Scarren fleet tore the Coalition ships to pieces.
Capitol ships bucked as their armor was assaulted and several exploded brilliantly.
Any ship that still had engine power turned to retreat from the system, but the Scarrens were close behind.
The Vanguard of Victory lost all power as the five power plants went into emergency shutdown. Life pods trailed from many of ships as their crews abandoned the dead hulks of their homes to Scarren capture.
